


Home For Christmas

by vaderina



Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies)
Genre: Christmas, Happy Ending, Implied Incest, M/M, Sad almost fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-08
Updated: 2018-01-09
Packaged: 2019-03-02 10:34:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,343
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13316298
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vaderina/pseuds/vaderina
Summary: Christmas should be about family, love and joy. Percival doesn't have family, is a little too old to find love and short changed in the joy department. He misses Newt but can't do much about it other than read over his letters and not feel too lonely.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Because it's only a little over 11 months until Christmas I felt the need to write a Christmas fic.

The lights seemed muted, voices harsh in their raucous excitement and Percival wanted to bury himself under his small mountain of paperwork just to avoid the festive cheer. He didn’t begrudge them that would have been petty and miserly of him but he did wish they’d just tone things down a little. Respect wasn’t the right word but that’s the best he had, so he wished they would show a little respect to those who perhaps weren’t in quite such a cheerful mood. They all had families and loved ones to go home to. Percival had a large house with echoing halls and memories to keep him warm. Memories of Grindelwald letting him run down corridors, delirious with pain as he stalked after him. More memories of agony, of panic, of resignation. The realisation that nobody was coming for him. That he was well and truly alone, bland and unrecognisable. He shook his head to clear it of such morose thoughts. There were better memories to think of that involved the same house, the same corridors. Shuffling down them as he recovered from his imprisonment, hanging onto the walls when he stumbled. Of warm, calloused and scarred hands catching him with when his knees finally buckled. Those same hands pushing hair out of his face and offering to cut the annoying strands which tickled the corners of his mouth. Newt had been sent by Merlin himself, Percival swore. As he regained himself in his recovery he and Newt struck up an easy friendship, one that didn’t even stumble when Newt shyly admitted to not liking sleeping alone. When Newt was back home he usually shared a bed with his brother but his travels were often lonely and while his creatures piled happily into his cot with him it wasn’t quite the same. When his health had allowed, Percival invited Newt to share his bed and was surprised to find that he enjoyed the warmth of a body cuddled up against him without any sexual intent. That came later in his recovery. By the time he was well enough to laughingly chase Newt and the niffler down the very same corridors he could see Newt’s restlessness. The desire to travel, discover and rescue. The very fact that Newt had stayed with him until he could not only be self-sufficient again, but could stand to live in his own house without the haunting screams torn from his throat echoing in his mind, was a blessing Percival never expected nor thought he deserved.

However Newt, like everyone else eventually left him. Of course there were promises of visits, invitations for Percival to join him. But it never happened. He got letters from around the world as Newt explored but they weren’t the same as having stories whispered in his ear in the darkest of the night when he couldn’t sleep. Nor did they create quite the same level of warmth when he sat in his armchair, the one opposite him empty save for the ghosts of memories while he read the letters and tried to hear Newt’s voice in them.

Everything looked muted and dull yet painfully sharp and blinding too. The walk home was another measure he took to avoid the emptiness that greeted him each evening. There was only so much brightness a poinsettia could bring to his dreary entrance hall and recently he found even a smile cast at it was an effort. As he walked he took note of his surroundings. Houses with sparkling lights that twinkled in the chilly air. Christmas trees in windows, beyond which were families sitting down together for supper. They all looked so happy and another wave of bitterness washed over Percival. He wished he could have that but he’d left it too late, he was no longer an eligible bachelor, more the lonely old workaholic who never learnt to love that was washed aside by society when nobody could snag him. It was frustrating to stroll through such joy and outpouring of love when all he had back home was a blanket to snuggle into and a hot water bottle to keep his bed warm.

A twig crunched under his foot and pulled his focus away from his little pity party. Percival had to scoff at himself, he was alive, he had a job, a house, and good health. Which was more than some people could say. Surely he ought to be thankful for those and not lament what he didn’t have.  It would have been nice to share the holiday with someone. Even the criminal world had gone quiet – they too probably had family to spend time with. The department ran on a skeleton crew and much to his chagrin Percival had been given time off because there wasn’t enough to do. He tried to argue, pointing out the paperwork he could catch up with but Seraphina wasn’t having any of it. With a soft smile she urged him home and wished him a very merry Christmas as though she didn’t know he was alone.

At long last Percival stood outside his door and sighed as he let himself in. His poinsettia sat innocently on its sideboard, a splash of red colour in the otherwise bland room. However next to it sat a mangy old boot with holes in it, a broken sole and it no doubt lingered in a foul cloud of its own stench. There was a note next to it, a looping cursive that was familiar but not instantly recognisable. It wasn’t Newt’s writing so it wasn’t important. With a frown Percival reached for the boot, intent on throwing it out before reading the letter so he knew who to chew out. How dare they enter his home, defile his property by placing a mouldy boot on his sideboard. Percival had half a mind the throw the boot as far as he could out the door and forget about it. His fingers closed around the offending object and the world lurched sickeningly.

It was a portkey. Fear stopped him from letting go but his mind raced ahead. The writing had been familiar. Percival tried to remember if he’d seen Grindelwald’s notes before but his mind came up blank. As suddenly as the world had spun into a blur it stopped again and Percival crashed to the floor with a surprised grunt. Footsteps hurried to him and a firm hand on his shoulder helped orient him.

“You’re a bit earlier than expected. Didn’t you get Sera’s message?” a warm voice grumbled in his ear. It was Theseus. Percival almost cried with relief and he shook his head. The writing, he should have recognised it, he saw it on an almost daily basis though admittedly only as a signature. Another set of footsteps approached them and they stopped with a small gasp.

“You came.” Newt’s face blossomed into a pleased smile as he rushed to Percival to envelop him in a hug. “I missed you.”

“I missed you too.” Percival muttered into his shoulder and relaxed when another body pressed into him from behind and he was firmly sandwiched in solid warmth as the brothers welcomed him home.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What aliaaaaaa wants aliaaaaaa gets.
> 
> Yesterday's chapter was written while I was in a fantastic mood. Today's chapter is courtesy of me throwing myself a pity party and feeling really rather sore. Still, a tooth extraction is micro weight loss, right?

The sofa was soft under him but it was a snug fit with a brother either side of him. A mug of hot chocolate was clutched in his hand and Percival tried to get his bearings from his sudden and wholly unexpected journey across the Atlantic. Theseus has laughed endlessly at him for picking up what could easily have been a cursed object without and precautions and Newt just patted his hand in understanding. His brother truly could be an arse at times.

All things considered though, there were worse ways to spend Christmas than wedged between two handsy brothers who seemed intent on smothering him into relaxation. Truth be told, their efforts were working and the now empty mug was slipped freely from his fingers without Percival’s notice. The murmur of quiet voices either side of him made for a wonderful soothing background noise as his eyes slipped shut and he basked in the warmth of the fire. A hand brushed through his hair – probably Newt but he wouldn’t have bet on it.

When he woke the room was dark save for the soft embers still oozing heat in the fireplace. A blanket had been draped over him and a soft pillow cushioned his cheek. Embarrassed Percival sat up and peered at the grandfather clock ticking away in the corner. A soft lumos illuminated the face, it was almost midnight. He was thirsty and felt the need to stretch his legs. There was also the small issue of his stomach rumbling and he figured there would be no objection if he had a look in the pantry for a late night snack. The house wasn’t too big and Percival could navigate around until he found himself in the kitchen. There he got a glass of water and munched on an apple as he leaned against the counter. No wonder Seraphina had been keen to cart him off home so quickly, obviously one of the brothers was in cahoots with her (probably both though) and she helped organise everything. He really ought to send her a box of chocolates to say thank you. So far this was one of his best Christmases since childhood.

Apple eaten in the half dark Percival headed back towards the sofa. Along the way he passed an open door where he heard someone shift and sigh. His auror instincts were immediately flaring up, mind screaming about assailants hidden in the dark. Without thinking, Percival pushed the door further open and came to a halt. The bed had been magically enlarged and the brothers were curled up in the middle of it under a pile of blankets. Theseus stirred at the intrusion and sleepily peered up at Percival before he smiled and lifted the blanket. Almost on autopilot Percival undressed until he was just in his singlet and underwear and slid into the warm cocoon. After a bit of shuffling, a knee to a kidney, and soft giggling, Percival found himself in the middle with Newt curling into his chest as Theseus plastered himself to his back. It didn’t take long for him to fall asleep without questioning what had just happened.

The morning came without any embarrassment or coy shyness from the brothers so there was no room for Percival too feel uncomfortable either. Instead they went about their morning business as if sharing a bed was completely normal. Together they decorated the tree and Percival’s mind wandered to how he never did get round to getting a tree that year. Nor the year before. However when Newt presented him with the star to place at the top of their tree all those thoughts vanished. They stood back to admire their hard work and Theseus slipped an arm round the other two’s waists.

“Oh, we almost forgot something!” Newt squealed and rushed out of the room. He returned with a few carefully wrapped items which he placed under the tree.

“Newt,” Percival began, “I hate to ask but…is the wrapping paper inside out?”

“Yes. You’ll see why when we open them though.” Newt’s carefree shrug left Percival puzzled but content to wait. Theseus too soon left the room and brought his own small pile of gifts to add to under the tree. Percival shifted uncomfortably, especially when one of the boxes was blatantly labelled for him.

“I don’t have anything to put under the tree.” He admitted quietly.

“Then we’ll help wrap you up and you can give us yourself.” Theseus laughed and clapped him on the shoulder.

“I wouldn’t mind unwrapping you on Christmas Day.” Newt added with a sly wink. It made Percival flush and pull at the neck of his borrowed shirt. With his unexpected trip he didn’t get the chance to pack a change of clothes or anything else really. Until Newt’s thinly disguised come up which even Theseus had a hard time laughing off, Percival could just about ignore the flirty looks the brothers were sending him. The way Theseus’ eyes darkened when Percival slipped into a borrowed shirt, Newt’s tongue peeking out to wet his lips when they passed each other coming out of the shower. Given that he and Newt had been intimate before and Newt hadn’t exactly hidden the fact that there may be something going on between him and Theseus, Percival shouldn’t have felt as surprised as he did at being wanted.

That night the brothers pulled him into the bedroom and Percival didn’t protest. Once again he was wedged between them but this time there were a few soft kisses exchanged before they fell asleep. Their days were spent in comfortable company, nobody pushing for anything more. Occasionally Newt or Theseus would lean in to a kiss but that was all they ever asked for and Percival gave willingly.

On Christmas morning it was Theseus who was up at the crack of dawn, bouncing with excitement, Newt’s case open next to the bed. The sound of creatures roaming the house promptly got the other two out of bed and in their pyjamas they made their way to the Christmas tree. Percival wandlessly cast a spell and three mugs of hot chocolate floated to them. Oddly enough the niffler was sat under the tree with an expectant look as it ignored the baubles that dangled enticingly above its head. The presents were given out and slowly the unwrapping began. Immediately the inside out wrapping paper made sense. The shiny side of the paper was revealed and the niffler wriggled excitedly as it dashed between the three men, collecting the rubbish and stuffing it into its pouch. Percival could only laugh at the genius of not only having instant clean-up of wrapping paper but also one very happy niffler to boot. All things considered though, Percival would have bet that between him and the niffler, he was definitely still the happier one.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Come join my pity party on tumblr - @ladyoftheshrimp

**Author's Note:**

> Need more? Tell me about it on tumblr (@ladyoftheshrimp) or in the comments.


End file.
